Winning $1M raffle ticket sold in Zanesville unclaimed

ZANESVILLE – A $1 million lottery winner who purchased a ticket at a Sharon Avenue gas station in mid-December has yet to come forward to claim the prize.

The Ohio Lottery announced the four $1 million winners of the New Year's Raffle Game on Monday afternoon. Ticket 094822 was purchased at Mother Tucker's on Dec. 16 (give or take about a day), said Jim Pitcock, who owns the store.

Only 48 people bought the $20 raffle ticket, and about 90 percent of those people are regulars, Pitcock said.

"We narrowed it down to about nine people who bought tickets around (Dec. 16), and there's one person who hasn't gotten back to me," Pitcock said. "The one guy we think it might be has a family member in the hospital that's sick. We're hoping he can check and get back with us today."

Mike Lane, an employee of Mother Tucker's, said he's been calling customers almost non-stop to inform them of the local winning ticket.

"I'm sort of thinking I was the one that sold it to them," Lane said. "I'm here all day long. I'm really excited to see who it is."

Winners have 180 days to claim their prize, explained Marie Kilbane, Ohio Lottery communications specialist. Winners typically claim their prize within the first two weeks, she said.

"We tell people to take as much time as they need," Kilbane said. "It's a million dollars. Go get some financial advice if you need to. Take some time to think about what you want to do with your money."

A 26 percent federal tax is withheld from lottery winnings, as well as a 3 percent state tax, Kilbane said.

Winning New Year's Raffle tickets were also sold in Barberton, North Canton and La Rue. Winners can claim their earnings at any of Ohio Lottery's regional offices, available at www.ohiolottery.com.

Each of the retailers will receive a $5,000 selling bonus. Profits from the sale of Ohio Lottery tickets go to support public education. In fiscal year 2014, $764.9 million was earned for public schools in the Buckeye State through the sale of traditional lottery games.